Witness update

“WITNESS co-founder Peter Gabriel visited Washington, DC’s Capitol Hill for a screening and briefing of partner Burma Issues’ new video, “Season of Fear.” The video exposes the impact of the Burmese military regime’s attacks on internally displaced people. In the briefing, co-sponsored by Senators Feinstein (D-CA) and McConnell (R-KY), Peter supported our allies in their call for a binding United Nations Security Council resolution on Burma that would include a call for a transition to the democratically-elected government in Burma.

While Peter was in the U.S. we were interviewed on CNN’s “American Morning” program with Miles O’Brien, which will broadcast on Monday, April 10th, 2006 at 9:45am E.S.T. If you are outside the US, please look for CNN International’s pick-up of the “American Morning” interview. Peter also spoke to the American public television program “NOW with David Brancaccio” about WITNESS’ work, as well as his lifelong activism and interest in participatory media. “NOW with David Brancaccio” will devote its entire broadcast to this interview on Friday, April 21, 2006, at 8:30pm on PBS (check local listings at www.pbs.org). We hope that you will be able to tune-in.”

Witness update

WITNESS is happy to be inaugurating the launch of two very special projects today: the first-ever comprehensive guide to using video for human rights, “Video for Change: A Guide for Advocacy and Activism,” and Artists Support www.witness.org, a poster and fine art benefit project with internationally known visual artists and photographers such as Shirin Neshat, Sebastiao Salgado and William Wegman.

Witness update

I’ve just had an email from Gillian Caldwell, the Executive Director of Witness and thougt we’d pass on the information……

“I am tremendously proud to announce the launch of Witness to Truth: A Video Report and Recommendations from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone at www.witness.org. As many of you will recall, I traveled to Sierra Leone with my family in November of last year to produce this film on behalf of the TRC, and it was embargoed until the TRC delivered its written report and film to the President of Sierra Leone last month.

“Witness to Truth,” marks the first time that video has been used by a TRC to raise public awareness of its findings and recommendations. It highlights the key causes and consequences of the war, and encourages civil society in Sierra Leone and beyond to hold the government accountable for implementing the binding recommendations issued by the TRC.

For those of you in the New York area, I will participate in a screening and panel discussion of “Witness to Truth” on Friday December 10th, International Human Rights Day, at NYU’s School of Law, Tishman Auditorium, Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South, from 6:30 – 8pm. The event is free and open to the public.”